The Los Angeles Dodgers have been without Yoshinobu Yamamoto since the middle of June due to a right rotator cuff strain but he continues to make progress toward a return.
The right-hander threw a bullpen session on Monday and has since joined Triple-A Oklahoma City for the start of a rehab assignment. “I know that he’s going to be on a plane tomorrow to Round Rock,” manager Dave Roberts confirmed on Monday.
“Talking to (Dodgers vice president of player performance) Brandon McDaniel, it went really well. So it’s going to be two innings for that OKC team.”
Yamamoto’s road to recovery includes throwing multiple bullpen sessions and pitching in two simulated games. He is now slated to make his first start for the Oklahoma City Baseball Club on Wednesday.
The Dodgers have not officially stated how long Yamamoto’s rehab assignment will be, but he likely needs to make a minimum of two starts before any consideration is given to activating him.
If all goes well, Yamamoto could potentially rejoin the team in mid-September, which would give him roughly two weeks to prepare for the postseason.
Yamamoto has gone 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 14 starts this season. He was in the midst of an impressive stretch before his injury, allowing only one run over his last 15 innings pitched.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto and potential Dodgers postseason rotation
If the Dodgers get Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow back before the end of the regular season, their potential playoff rotation could be among the best in baseball.
Glasnow and Yamamoto would occupy two spots with Jack Flaherty in the third, and the team could fill out the rest of their rotation with their choice of Clayton Kershaw, Gavin Stone, Walker Buehler, Bobby Miller, Landon Knack and Justin Wrobleski. Stone seems to be the favorite, but it’s also hard to imagine them leaving Kershaw off the roster.
Buehler, Miller, Knack and Wrobleski are all long shots to be part of the postseason mix.
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